ON THE Mount of Olives near Bethany, Jesus commissioned a preaching work that would shape world history. It was to start about two miles to the west​—at Jerusalem. The message would be spread to nearby Judea and Samaria, eventually reaching “the most distant part of the earth.”​—Ac 1:4, 8, 12.

Not long after Jesus said those words, the Festival of Pentecost drew Jews and proselytes from all over the Roman Empire, from regions indicated on the map below. The apostle Peter’s preaching to them that day opened the way for a rapid spread of Christianity.​—Ac 2:9-11.

Persecution in Jerusalem soon scattered Christ’s followers. Peter and John helped Samaritans to hear and embrace the good news. (Ac 8:1, 4, 14-16) After Philip witnessed to an Ethiopian on the desert road leading “from Jerusalem to Gaza,” Christianity spread into Africa. (Ac 8:26-39) About the same time, the message bore fruit in Lydda, which is on the Plain of Sharon, and at the port of Joppa. (Ac 9:35, 42) From there Peter went to Caesarea and assisted the Roman officer Cornelius, his relatives, and his friends to become spirit-anointed Christians.​—Ac 10:1-48.

Paul, a former persecutor, became the apostle to the nations. He traveled overland and by ship during three missionary trips and a voyage to Rome. The apostle and others  spread the good news to numerous centers of the Roman Empire. Paul desired to reach Spain (See page 2.), and Peter served as far east as Babylon. (1Pe 5:13) Truly, under Christ’s active leadership, his followers spread Christianity abroad. By 60/61 C.E., ‘the good news was preached in all creation under heaven.’ (Col 1:6, 23) Since then, this good news has literally reached “the most distant part of the earth.”

[Map on page 32]

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Spread of Christianity

Areas Quickly Reached With the Good News

B1 ILLYRICUM

B1 ITALY

B1 Rome

C1 MACEDONIA

C2 GREECE

C2 Athens

C2 CRETE

C3 Cyrene

C3 LIBYA

D1 BITHYNIA

D2 GALATIA

D2 ASIA

D2 PHRYGIA

D2 PAMPHYLIA

D2 CYPRUS

D3 EGYPT

D4 ETHIOPIA

E1 PONTUS

E2 CAPPADOCIA

E2 CILICIA

E2 MESOPOTAMIA

E2 SYRIA

E3 SAMARIA

E3 Jerusalem

E3 JUDEA

F2 MEDIA

F3 Babylon

F3 ELAM

F4 ARABIA

G2 PARTHIA

[Bodies of water]

C2 Mediterranean Sea

D1 Black Sea

E4 Red Sea

F3 Persian Gulf

[Map on page 32, 33]

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Paul’s Travels

First Missionary Trip (Ac 13:1–14:28)

H3 Antioch (of Syria)

H3 Seleucia

G4 CYPRUS

G3 Salamis

G4 Paphos

G3 PAMPHYLIA

F3 Perga

F3 PISIDIA

F2 Antioch (of Pisidia)

G2 Iconium

G2 LYCAONIA

G2 Lystra

G3 Derbe

G2 Lystra

G2 Iconium

F2 Antioch (of Pisidia)

F3 PISIDIA

G3 PAMPHYLIA

F3 Perga

F3 Attalia

H3 Antioch (of Syria)

Second Missionary Trip (Ac 15:36–18:22)

H3 Antioch (of Syria)

H3 SYRIA

H3 CILICIA

H3 Tarsus

G3 Derbe

G2 Lystra

G2 Iconium

F2 Antioch (of Pisidia)

F2 PHRYGIA

G2 GALATIA

E2 MYSIA

E2 Troas

E1 SAMOTHRACE

D1 Neapolis

D1 Philippi

C1 MACEDONIA

D1 Amphipolis

D1 Thessalonica

D1 Beroea

C2 GREECE

D2 Athens

D2 Corinth

D3 ACHAIA

E2 Ephesus

G4 Caesarea

H5 Jerusalem

H3 Antioch (of Syria)

Third Missionary Trip (Ac 18:22–21:19)

H3 SYRIA

H3 Antioch (of Syria)

G2 GALATIA

F2 PHRYGIA

H3 CILICIA

H3 Tarsus

G3 Derbe

G2 Lystra

G2 Iconium

F2 Antioch (of Pisidia)

E2 Ephesus

E2 ASIA

E2 Troas

D1 Philippi

C1 MACEDONIA

D1 Amphipolis

D1 Thessalonica

D1 Beroea

C2 GREECE

D2 Athens

D2 Corinth

D1 Beroea

D1 Thessalonica

D1 Amphipolis

D1 Philippi

E2 Troas

E2 Assos

E2 Mitylene

E2 CHIOS

E2 SAMOS

E3 Miletus

E3 Cos

E3 RHODES

F3 Patara

H4 Tyre

H4 Ptolemais

G4 Caesarea

H5 Jerusalem

Trip to Rome (Ac 23:11–28:31)

H5 Jerusalem

G4 Caesarea

H4 Sidon

F3 Myra

F3 LYCIA

E3 Cnidus

D3 CRETE

D4 CAUDA

A3 MALTA

A3 SICILY

A3 Syracuse

A1 ITALY

B2 Rhegium

A1 Puteoli

A1 Rome

Main Roads (See publication)

[Seven congregations]

E2 Pergamum

E2 Thyatira

E2 Sardis

E2 Smyrna

E2 Ephesus

F2 Philadelphia

F2 Laodicea

[Other locations]

E3 PATMOS

F2 Colossae

F5 Alexandria

F5 EGYPT

G1 BITHYNIA

G5 Joppa

G5 Lydda

G5 Gaza

H1 PONTUS

H2 CAPPADOCIA

H4 Damascus

H4 Pella

[Bodies of water]

D4 Mediterranean Sea

[Picture on page 33]

Theater in Miletus, the city where Paul met elders from Ephesus

[Picture on page 33]

Altar of Zeus in Pergamum. Christians in this city dwelt “where the throne of Satan” was​—Re 2:13